Ball-and-socket joint



Dec. 20, 1927. v I 7 F. FAUDI BALL m; 30cm! JOINT Filed 00 26- 1925Patented D... 20, 1927-.

UNITED STATES FRITZ FAUDI, O1 DUSSELDORF-OBEBKASSEL, GERMANY.

BALL-AND-SOGKE'I 30mm.

Application filed October 26, 1925, Serial No. 84,728, and in GermanyKay 19, 1925.

The present invention has reference to improvements in ball and socketjoints, and 'relates more specifically to 2301M. of the generalcharacter especlally a the ball will slip through the latter and, out

of its socket. This arrangement has the obvious disadvantage that thejoint members can readily become inadvertently disconnected.

According to the present invention this drawback is efi'ectivelyobviated by providing the housing or socket member, in addition to theusual opening for the introduction of the ball, with a secondopening ofsmaller clearance and substantially at an angle of 90 degrees relativeto the first opening and in marginal communication therewith. The ballis introduced in the usual manner into the first opening and its shankis then swung around into the second opening,

the ball shank or bolt during this movement passing between the opposedopen ends of the spring ring so that t e latter is in a positionlaterally of the ball shank and no longer concentric therewith as in theprior constructions. The ball head is thus supported by the bearingfaces of the housing and all strain is removed from the spring ring. 1

In order to make my invention more readily understood I will nowdescribe it in detail in connection with the accom anying drawing, inwhich Fig. 1 is a side e evation of the improved ball 'oint, part1 .insection; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 0 Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a topview. These three figures illustrate the relative position of the partsfor connecting or disconnecting the ball head and the socket. Figs. iand 5 show the joint after the ball member has been turned through 90into its final operative position,

Figure 5 being a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The housing 1 is rovided in the-well known manner with t e opening 2 forthe introduction of the ball head 3which latter is supported by thespring ring 4. Laterapted for use in 5 the steering gear of motorvehicles.

ally of this opening 2 the housing 1 is rovided with the additionalopening 5. v T ese two openin'gs 2 and 5 are mergingly arrange atsubstantiall right angles to one another and. the secon openin 5 is ofsomewhat smaller clearance than t e opening 2. The two ends of the splitspring ring 4 are enlargedto form buttons 6 for the purpose ofpreventing .a relative displacement of the ring in its seat groove.

The joint parts are assembled inthe usual manner, the ball head-beinginserted into the opening 2 of the housing during which act of insertionthe spring ring first opens sufliciently to let the ball passtherethrough and then clampingly closes beneath 'it, as shown in Figs. 1to 3. Thereupon the ball extension 7 is turned through substantiallyinto the position shown by Fig. 4. During this movement the shank orbolt 7 of the pin passes between the two opposed end buttons 6 whichyield and spread apart to permit such angular movement of the shank.After the latter has been moved into the smaller opening the ring'4 willcontract again to retain the ball head in the new and final position.The ball is now supported in the direction of operative pull (asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 4.) solely b the bearin surfaces of thehousing 1 whic extend. fownwardly around and beyond the middle zone. ofthe ball head, so that no stress is laced on the s rin rin What claimis: p 1. In a ball and socket joint of the type set forth, incombination, a ball member having a shank, a housing adapted to journalsaid ball member and having an internal annular groove, an expansiblesplit spring ring I seated in saidg'roove, said'housing having a wallopening for the introduction thereinto of said ball member, and 'asecond wall of the ring to hear u on and obstruct the movement of theshe in the p said ends of the ring adapted to spread under apredetermined pressure of the shank and thereby permit of the passage ofthe shank through said split portion of the ring for 5 movement from oneopening to the other.

2. In a ball and socket joint according to claim 1, the feature that thesplit sprin ring is provided with end portions enlarge with respect tothe width of its seat groove for preventing shifting of the spring ringin its seat groove and maintaining its split portion in alinement withthe passage between the openings.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRITZ FAUDI.

